Salad Tossing

Today's "recipe" is very Sandra Lee, Semi-Homemade. I can't take credit for making any of it from scratch, but it's an easy and healthy way to dress up a meal. I am a huge fan of Trader Joe's. I am probably there once a week picking out delicious ingredients to play around with.
One of my favorite semi-homemade meals to make is a doctored up TJ's salad. TJ's has a ton of pre-packaged salads. I'm not talking about bags of just lettuce (although they do have that as well). I am talking about full-on prepared salads. They are in the section with other pre-made items such as pizzas, sushi and burritos.
You can pick whatever salad you are in the mood for. They have Cobb, Greek, Chinese Chicken, Chopped Italian, and many others. Today I chose the Mozzarella & Tomato salad. It's pretty basic: lettuce, cherry tomatoes, little mozzarella balls, pine nuts, olives and a vinaigrette dressing.
What I like to do is put the contents of the salad in a big bowl and then add to it. Personally, I don't like eating meat that comes in pre-packaged salads so I will bake or grill my own chicken or turkey and then slice it up into the bowl. That way I can also season up my meat however I want. I also add garbanzo beans (very healthy and super cheap for a can), sliced cucumbers, scallions, a chopped up hard boiled egg and avocado. I can turn this little one portion salad into a protein-filled 2 portioner (yes I know that is not a word-suck it). You can pretty much add anything you like to a pre-made salad and call it your own. You can even doctor up the dressing that comes with it by adding spices you like or crushed garlic. Add a good handful of whole-wheat crackers or perhaps a cup of lentil soup and you have yourself a quick and healthy meal.
I'm easing into the recipes. I know this one isn't brain surgery, but sometimes it's not as easy as you think to take something pre-made and turn it into your own creation.
By the way, my camera is charging, so you guys don't get a picture of this gem. I am pretty sure everyone knows what a salad looks like though.
Happy eating jerks!